To Be Free Is To...

(1) live to please God alone,

(2) not care about your own reputation (what others think of you),  

(3) not be concerned about how your prayers are going to be answered,

(4) rejoice when someone else loves the Lord more than you do,

(5) never look down on someone who might not be as advanced as you spiritually,

(6) ...

        Actually, (1) is all I need to have put down as it covers the rest.

True or False

        Yesterday's Gospel Acclamation at Mass was John 16.28: "I came from the Father and have come into the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father." Read it one more time. To the believer, what Jesus had said was absolutely true. To the nonbeliever, Jesus must be a false prophet or someone "demential" ~ no way around it! The Lord always challenges us (for our good).     

It All Has to Do with Love

        Since our love is not perfect, we can be pushed to the limit and stop loving, thereby loosing our inner peace and freedom. Just look at our own world. By contrast, God's love is perfect, making him holy and infinitely patient. He then remains free forever and is the source of all peace.

Three-Way Love

        As disciples of Jesus, we are to be the light of the world. Our light is to let all others see that God loves them and that we love God. We love God because he loves us. We love others because we love God ~ his love for all is demonstrated through our love for him.

Joy with Jesus

        In today's Gospel reading at Mass from John 16, Jesus knew that he's going to the Father in a little while and he told his disciples that they would weep and mourn, but their grief would turn into joy. When that happens, they would no longer remember the grief. 

        I can recall my own past sufferings and pains, both physical and mental; but since I am enjoying the Lord so much now, I don't ever think about those days anymore (no regret either). "When you are in love, the whole world looks beautiful" ~ it has that kind of effect. With Jesus, joy always wins out. Looking ahead, we see eternal life awaiting us in heaven and all present sorrows will be forgotten ~ so why not start "forgetting" them right now?           

Timely Questions for All

         For the nonbeliever: How much time do you have left in your life?

       For the believer: How much do you love the Lord? (Are you willing to surrender to him to seek union with him?) 

Union Most Satisfying

        In the state of union with God, one has no more desire to see apparitions or witness miracles because he already has the Lord in him, satisfying all his desires.

Total Occupation with God

        When you are in union with the Lord, figuratively you don't see, hear, or feel yourself anymore ~ you see, hear, and feel only him.

The Taking Away of Sins

        I know that Jesus takes away our sins, but what does that really mean? Of course, it means that the Savior has once and for all crushed the power of sin and given us the hope of salvation. More specifically, if a believer sins and repents (or goes to confession in the case the sin is serious), he is then forgiven and made whole again. Often, the same or another sin is committed again ~ this only shows that the tendency to sin is still there. But the Lord can take care of that too! Seek union to be holy and Christlike and he will eradicate your tendency to sin and take away your sins permanently. 

Don't Mind Others

        I've been observing others and notice that a lot of people do not have peace in them because they are not generous enough to tolerate others who might have offended them either unintentionally or deliberately, or who have not lived up to their expectations. Examples are getting bothered by someone who has an odd mannerism; being disappointed in someone not showing any consideration or gratitude for what he has received; seeing someone not acting in accordance with conventional custom... These are really forms of judging on the same level as gossiping. If you cannot tolerate such others, how can you expect God to tolerate you? Just let them all go in God so that you may have peace in you. 

Better or Worse than You Think

        Before God, if you consider yourself to be the greatest sinner, you may be a saint already. But if you believe that you are OK and good enough for God, you are definitely worse than you think ~ for lack of humility. (Read the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, Luke 18.9-14.)

God, Source of Mercy & Peace

        Just before we receive Holy Communion at Mass today, after fraction of the Bread all asked the Lamb of God to have mercy on us twice and then grant us peace once. I felt that I was totally at God's mercy and that he is the source of all my peace. It is absolutely true that everything in heaven and on earth is at God's mercy and that true inner peace can only come from God. 

Ego as Your Guide

        Do not do anything if you feel that doing it is prompted entirely or just partly by your ego. It may be to give God glory, but the time may not be right yet. When the time is right, God will let you know and you will have peace. Peace is the sign by which you know if the ego is involved or not. (Hint. Extinguish the ego first and you won't have this problem.)        

Too Late to Be a Saint?

        Never! If God can raise the dead, he certainly can turn a living person into a saint. If you disagree, then you must not think highly of yourself and/or God's power. It's never too late ~ your willingness is the only determining factor.

To Know God...

be like Christ first, then you'll know exactly how he feels.

To Go Deeper in Love

        Some nice people, friends or family members, express their love by helping you whenever they can, in different ways, but they never seem to be interested in finding out how you're feeling or what you are really up to. I may be too harsh by saying that this is rather like going to Mass every Sunday just to discharge your obligation. To really love Jesus, you want to know him well, to find out what his joys and sorrows are, and what his will is for you at all times. Similarly, to love someone deeper is to explore that person deeper, finding out what his true wishes and feelings are, and go from there.         

Thoughtful God

        When you live in God, not only he shields you from all evil, he also keeps you clean on the inside so that you may continue to enjoy your residency ~ most thoughtful of him! 

God Always a Consolation

        Sometimes I have trouble finding the right words to express my inner feelings to God, then I realize that he looks into my heart and already knew what's there ~ lucky for me. God is always a consolation to us (and a step ahead of us).